Wheel puller



Jam. 31, 1933. A. CORNWELL 1,895,448

WHEEL FULLER Filed Nov. 14. 1951 I I w 1710671501 (1.1:. flow well (Z9 1 m wife 7 1153 Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. CORNWELL, OF WELLSVILLE, NEW YORK WHEEL FULLER Application filed November 14, 1931.

This invention relates to pulling devices, and more especially to those adapted to pull vehicle wheels from their axles. The invention embodies several novel and important features which combine to provide a superior puller of stronger construction, faster, more convenient and more eliicient in operation, and yet relatively simple and of few parts.

\Vheel pullers of the type of my invention ordinarily comprise a body member with means for engaging the hub of the wheel to be pulled and a power screw threaded into the body member and engageable with the axle to force the wheel therefrom. It is well known that a considerable force is required to loosen these wheels from their axles and this requirement not only demands much work and effort from the operator but also places a considerable strain on the puller. One improved feature of my invention is the provision of means by which much of this effort and strain is eliminated and the wheel pulled with greater ease and ef'iciency. This means Y is in the nature of a hammerhead handle on the power screw and adapted to receive the blows of a hammer to cause rotation of the screw and arring of the wheel in the pulling operation. The provision of such a means for simultaneously vibrating the wheel and rotating the power screw comprises one of the objects of my invention.

A further aspect of my invention pertains more particularly to the body member or shell of the puller and its power screw, and to the cooperating means for engaging and gripping the hub of the wheel. In the puller illustrated this means is a contractible ring or collet internally threaded to fit the threads of the hub and having relatively coarse external threads. The body member has a relatively large open front end internally threaded to receive the collet, a relatively smaller rear end into which the pressure screw is threaded, and an intermediate conical portion integrally connecting the two ends. The arrangement and construction is such that the collet can first be threaded to the hub to be pulled, the shell then threaded onto the collet and the pressure screw then rotated to engage against the axle and withdraw the wheel Serial No. 574,966.

therefrom. The construction of the shell as above described renders it very convenient to handle when applying it to the collet and also renders it of superior strength whereby to withstand the heavy strain incident to the pulling operation. The internal and external threads on the collet and the threads on the power screw also run in the same direction whereby rotation of the screw in the pulling operation cannot separate the shell from the collet nor the collet from the hub. A wheel puller embodying these features of construction and operation comprises a further object of my invention.

Another feature of my invention relates especially to the shell and collet of the puller and has for its object the provision of means preventing the wedging ofv the collet within the shell. This means is inthe form of two cooperating stop shoulders respectively on the collet and shell members, whereby further forward relative rotation thereof is prevented when they have reached a predetermined assembled relation. By the use of such shoulders the shell is always freely removable from the collet after the pulling operation.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wheel puller embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partially in section of a wheel hub having the pulling collet applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the puller and hub in the pulling position; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the coacting engagement of the two shoulders on the puller and its cooperating collet.

The puller illustrated in the drawing is particularly adapted to the pulling of wheels or other members having a threaded outer end, as the threaded portion 10 of the wheel hub 12 mounted on an axle 14. Briefly, the puller comprises an adapter or collet 16, a shell or body member 18 and a power screw 20. The collet has a relatively narrow ring split at 22 to render it contractible and illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The collet ring 16 is first screwed onto the hub threads 10, as shown in Fig. 2, the ring being of such relatively light weight that this operation can be performed with great convenience by starting the ring onto the hub threads and then quickly spinning it into full position thereon. The shell 18 is then screwed onto the collet as shown in Fig. 3, this operation also being quickly and conveniently performed since the threads 32-34 are of relatively coarse pitch and in the same direction as the threads 10, and the reduced rear portion 28 serves as a handle for holding and manipulating the shell. The power screw is next rotated forwardly against the end of the axle 14; with sufficient force to draw the shell rearwardly, it being noted that the threads of the power screw are in the same direction as the threads 24 and 32, whereby the shell cannot rotate forwardly and rotation of the screw in the wheel pulling direction will not tend to separate the shell from the collet nor the collet from the hub. This movement of the shell first causes a contracting of the collet into gripping engagement with the threads 10 due to the saw tooth shape of the threads 3234, and thereafter causes the withdrawal or loosening of the wheel from the aXle. The shell may thereafter be unscrewed from the collet and the collet from the hub, and are thereupon ready for immediate use in further pulling operations. It will be understood that the puller is adapted to function on members varying in size and threads at 10 merely by providing collets 16 having the bore and threads 24 therein of a corresponding size.

These pulling operations ordinarily require that a very considerable turning effort be applied tothe power screw and this force places a heavy strain on the puller, and more particularly on the body member or shell, and

while I have constructed my shell 18 of a configuration most efiectively to withstand this strain, it is nevertheless very essential that the construction of the puller be otherwise such as to reduce this effort and strain to a consideration, I have applied an operating handle 36 to the power screw whereby the screw is not only more easily rotated to effect the pulling operation but where such operation also simultaneously performs the function of vibrating or jarring the puller and hub to assist in loosening the latter from the axle. This handle is provided with one or more hammerheads 38 thereon for receiving the blows of a hammer to cause rotation of the screw, and for convenience I shall herein term such a handle a hammerhead handle.

The hammerhead handle 36 illustrated in the drawing has a relatively thicker or longer hub portion 40 from opposite sides of which radiate two arms on the ends of which are hammerheads 38. The outer end of the screw has a reduced cylindrical portion 42 and an adjacent conically tapered portion 44. The hub portion 40 has a bore 48 therethrough having corresponding portions and a threaded forward portion for engaging the threads of the screw. The construction is such that the handle may be threaded onto the screw, as shown in Fig. 3, and when tightened in that position the tapering portions are brought firmly together in a manner forming a very solid and secure connection. The tapering portion of the bore 48 is also preferably in the plane of the handle which is, of course, the strongest part of the hub 10. This method of mounting the handle onto the screw not only provides a rigid and secure connection but also considerably simplifiesthe operation of mounting the handle. It may furthermore be stated that a large portion of the turning stress from the handle to the screw is cared for by the tight frictional engagement between the tapered portions of the handle and screw, thus eliminating danger of stripping the threads connecting these two members.

The function and advantages of the hammerhead 36 are believed to be obvious. The screw may be rotated by hand to bring its forward end into engagement with the end of the axle. The operator may then continue the rotation of the screw by striking the heads 38 with a hammer. This method of rotating the screw is not only easier on the operator but serves the additional and more important functions of jarring the puller and wheel and simultaneously giving the screw relatively sudden and sharp turning movements. These simultaneous operations result in loosening the wheel much more efficiently and quickly, as will be understood, and thereby greatly reduces the strain ordinarily placed on pullers of this nature.

The front portion 26 of the shell is preferably knurled to provide a hand grip for turning the shell into full engagement with the collet (Fig. It may ordinarily be somewhat diflicult to know definitely when this full engaged position has been reached and if the shell is turned with suflicient force to assure such position a wedging of the collet within the shell is very likely to result and cause some trouble and delay in the disassembling operation. My improved puller, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, preferably embodies a simple means for eliminating any objection of this nature. As illustrated, the inner ends of the threads 32 and 3a are cut away at 50 and 52 to provide abrupt stop shoulders and 56 and these shoulders are so located that when they come into engagement the collet will be in the position of Fig. 3. It will be obvious that these shoulders directly engage each other in the direction of rotation of the shell and collet members (Fig. 4:) whereby the relative forward rotation of the members is abruptly stopped at the proper time and in a manner precluding any wedging or sticking thereof.

It will, therefore, be seen that I have produced a new and superior pulling instrument having improved features of construction and operation which render it preeminent for the function of pulling wheels and the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A wheel puller comprising a relatively narrow and contractible collet having internal threads for engaging the hub of a wheel and relatively coarse external threads and providing a light-weight ring to be threaded onto a wh el hub as the initial step in pulling the wheel, a shell having an open front end and a relatively smaller rear end integrally connected by an intermediate conical portion, the open front end of the shell being provided with internal threads corresponding to said external threads and adapting the shell to be threaded into full position onto the collet in place on the hub as the second step in pulling the wheel, cooperating stop means on the shell and collet for limiting the threading on of the shell to said position but not preventing the threading off movement thereof or relative axial movement of the shell and collet, and a screw threaded into an axial bore through the rear end of the shell for engaging against the end of the axle on which the wheel is mounted to draw the shell outward and thereby contract the collet onto the hub and withdraw the wheel, the shell being thereafter freely rotatable from the collet while the collet remains on the hub, and the internal and external threads on the collet and the thread on the screw all running in the same direction whereby rotation of the screw in the wheel pulling direction will not tend to separate the shell from the collet nor the collet from the hub.

2. A wheel puller comprising a contractible collet member having internal threads for engaging the hub of a wheel and relatively coarse external threads, an openended shell member provided with internal threads corresponding to said external threads and adapting the shell to be threaded onto the rotation of said members to prevent further forward relative rotation of the members when they have reached a predetermined assembled relation and thereby prevent wedging of the collet within the shell, and a screw threaded axially into the shell for engaging against the end of the axle on which the wheel is mounted to draw the shell outward and thereby contract the collet onto the hub and withdraw the wheel.

3. A wheel puller comprising a body member, means cooperating therewith to hold the hub of a wheel, a power screw threaded axially into the member for engaging against the end of the axle on which the wheel is mounted, and a hammerhead handle on the outer portion of the screw for receiving the blows of a hammer to cause rotation of the screw and jarring of the wheel in the pulling operation, the handle and screw having cooperating shoulder surfaces and the handle being threaded onto the screw in a manner drawing the surfaces into tight engagement.

4. A wheel puller comprising a body member, means cooperating therewith to hold the hub of a wheel, a power screw threaded axially into the member for engaging against the end of the axle on which the wheel is mounted, and a hammerhead handle having a relatively thicker hub portion provided with a screw receiving bore therein having a tapered portion in the plane of the handle, the handle being threaded onto the screw with said tapered portion of the bore drawn into tight engagement with a cooperating tapered portion of the screw and the handle being provided with integral headed means thereon for receiving the blows of a hammer to cause rotation of the screw and jarring of the wheel in the pulling operation.

5. The wheel puller set forth in claim 3, wherein the said shoulder surfaces are conically tapered.

6. A wheel puller comprising a relatively narrow and contractible collet having internal threads for engaging the hub of a wheel and relatively coarse external threads and providing a light-weight ring to be threaded onto a wheel hub as the initial step in pulling the wheel, a shell having an open front end and a relatively smaller rear end integrally connected by an intermediate conical portion, the open front end of the shell being provided with internal threads corresponding to said external threads and adapting the shell to be threaded into full position onto the collet in place on the hub as the second step in pulling the wheel, cooperating stop means oh the shell and collet for limiting the threading on of the shell to said position but not preventing threading E movement thereof nor relative axial movement of the shell and collet, and a screw threaded into an axial bore through the rear end of the shell for engaging against the end of the axle on which the Wheel is mounted to draw the shell outward and thereby contract the collet onto the hub and Withdraw the Wheel, the shell being thereafter freely rotatable from the collet While the collet remains on the hub, and a hammerhead handle on the outer portion of the screw for receiving the blows of a hammer to cause rotation of the screw and jarring of the Wheel in the pulling operation.

ARTHUR L. CORNWELL. 

